Plastic Utensils have been replaced with Compostable Utensils

The Office Food and Nutrition Services is excited to announce that new compostable utensils have rolled out! Along with the compostable plate already in use in all DOE schools, the new compostable utensils allow for the majority of cafeteria waste to be diverted from landfills! These compostable items are part of larger Office of Food and Nutrition programs to be more sustainable; over the past 10 years they have eliminated polystyrene, introduced compostable plates and utensils, introduced NY Thursdays and banned these ingredients from ALL products.

The Office of Sustainability, along with The Office of Food and Nutrition Services, wants to make sure that schools know about these products and program so that waste ends up in the right place! If your site has organic/food scrap collection, plates and utensils can be composted along with food scraps and food-soiled paper. Please remind students to remove the plastic on all wrapped items (utensils, apple slices, carrot sticks, condiments, etc.) before placing in the brown organics bin. Schools that do not have organics/food scrap collection, please place utensils and plates in the trash bin.

Styrofoam Trays have been replaced with Compostable and Biodegradable Plates

Office of Food & Nutrition Services is helping your school sustain the environment. All Styrofoam trays will be replaced with a compostable plate made from 100% renewable materialsresources. By removing 128 million Styrofoam trays per year from New York City's landfills and waterways, this change is a major footstep toward a greener, greater New York City. All principals can inform parents and guardians of The Department of Education's efforts in supporting the City's environmentally conscious polystyrene policy by printing and distributing our flyer